NFL Workout Updates: 11/13/18
Here’s the latest from the workout circuit. All links go to NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account, unless otherwise noted.
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Thurston Armbrister, LB Terence Garvin, CB Leonard Johnson, T Rick Leonard, S Dexter McCoil, DT Tyrunn Walker (link)
Detroit Lions
- LB Azeem Victor (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- TE Kivon Cartwright, TE Je’Ron Hamm, TE Nick Keizer, CB Reggie Porter, LB Anthony Winbush (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- DE Geneo Grissom, DT David Parry, DT Elijah Qualls, T Menelik Watson (Twitter link via Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan)
New Orleans Saints
- DT Michael Bennett, DT Sealver Siliga, DE Phil Taylor, DL Jerel Worthy (link)
New York Jets
- WR Tanner McEvoy, LB Corey Nelson, DE Marcus Smith, DL Destiny Vaeao, TE Hakeem Valles (link)
Oakland Raiders
- S Afolabi Aguda, WR Rashard Davis, WR Josh Huff, WR Charles Johnson, P Drew Kaser, S Tray Matthews, S Stephen Roberts, QB Alek Torgersen, WR Griff Whalen, S J.J. Wilcox (link)
Tennessee Titans
- WR Daniel Braverman, WR Quan Bray, OLB/DE Kasim Edebali, DE Terrence Fede, CB Dontae Johnson, CB Mike Jordan, CB Ashton Lampkin, CB Jeremiah McKinnon, OLB/DE Nate Orchard, QB Nic Shimonek, WR ArDarius Stewart, TE Tyrone Swoopes, LB John Timu, RB Charcandrick West (link)
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/18
Today’s minor moves will be posted here:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: C Gino Gradkowski
Detroit Lions:
- Waived: CB Lenzy Pipkins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Ben Koyack
- Waived: TE David Grinnage
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Matthew Dayes
- Waived: S Tyvis Powell
Jaguars C Brandon Linder Out For Season
Brandon Linder‘s season is over. The Jaguars’ center will undergo surgery on his right knee, ruling him out for the remainder of the year, head coach Doug Marrone announced. 
The Jaguars have dropped five straight and the loss of Linder will not help in their quest to get out of the hole. The 26-year-old ranks as one of the league’s better centers and his importance to the team was underscored by the six-year, $54MM extension he inked in 2017.
Even before the Linder injury, the Jags’ offensive line was weakened by the loss of left tackle Cam Robinson. The Jaguars were hoping to turn things around after getting Leonard Fournette back in the lineup, but he won’t get far if the club’s reserves cannot step up. Tyler Shatley figures to slide into the starting lineup in Linder’s place as the team hopes to get more than the 2.2 yards per carry Fournette averaged against the Colts.
Linder, a former third round pick, missed the majority of the 2015 season due to a shoulder injury and had to sit out for five games between 2016 and 2017. He’s been starting for Jacksonville since entering the league in 2014, but after five years he’ll have missed 26 out of a possible 80 regular season games.
Jaguars C Brandon Linder To Miss Time
The Jaguars will be without center Brandon Linder against the Steelers on Sunday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The issue could sideline him for multiple games and subsequently deal a serious blow to the Jaguars’ running game. 
The Jaguars finally got star rusher Leonard Fournette back in the lineup on Sunday, but his effectiveness would be limited without the presence of Linder in the middle of the line. The 26-year-old is currently ranked as the league’s ninth-best center, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics.
After losing Linder in the third quarter, the Jaguars’ offense failed to close the gap against the Colts and ultimately lost by a field goal. At 3-6, the Jaguars’ playoff hopes are rapidly dwindling, and a sixth-straight loss may take them out of the postseason mix.
For however long Linder is out, the Jaguars will likely use Tyler Shatley as their starting center.
Leonard Fournette To Return Sunday
A hamstring ailment ruined the first half of Leonard Fournette‘s second NFL season, but it looks like he’ll be ready soon to attempt to salvage the second half of it.
The Jaguars expect their starting running back to play Sunday against the Colts, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com notes. Doug Marrone said Friday that Fournette is “completely healthy” and has not endured a setback during his latest recovery from this troublesome malady.
Fournette’s played in just two games, totaling merely 45 snaps, this season because of this injury. Multiple previous Fournette rehab efforts on this front brought multiple setbacks, inducing the Jaguars to trade for Carlos Hyde. But it appears the Jags will have both available when they play a crucial game in Indianapolis on Sunday.
This was expected to be Fournette’s return date, with the Jaguars coming off of their bye week. The former top-five pick came back against the Jets in Week 4, but that re-emergence was incredibly brief. Jacksonville shut down its offensive centerpiece for several weeks.
Fournette finished with 1,040 rushing yards and nine touchdowns last season. He’ll be counted on for consistent production for a Jags team that, at 3-5, is on the verge of going from AFC South favorite to slinking out of the playoff race.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/5/18
Here’s the latest from the workout circuit. All links go to Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan Twitter account, unless otherwise noted.
Cleveland Browns
- T Isaiah Battle, K Jon Brown, RB Josh Ferguson, K Sam Ficken, CB Dontae Johnson, K Marshall Koehn, K Younghoe Koo, K Tyler Rausa, LS Zach Triner, P Ryan Winslow (Twitter links via Caplan and NFL reporter Howard Balzer
Cincinnati Bengals
- QB Connor Cook, WR Chad Hansen, WR Korey Robertson, TE Andrew Vollert (Twitter link via Balzer)
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
- WR Aaron Burbridge, WR Brice Butler (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- LB Marquis Flowers (link)
Oakland Raiders
- RB Travaris Cadet, DE Kony Ealy, DE Terrence Fede, RB Jeremy Langford, DE Ryan Russell, RB Fitzgerald Toussaint (link)
Philadelphia Eagles
- DT T.Y. McGill (link)
Jets Made Late Offer For Fowler; Offered Bridgewater For Fowler In August
- Interestingly, before dealing him to the Saints in August, the Jets offered quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to the Jaguars in a one-for-one swap for Fowler, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Jacksonville rebuffed that proposal, even though it knew that Fowler was probably on the way out, and given their QB struggles, that decision may have made a major difference in the Jags’ season.
- The Jets, desperate for pass rushing help, inquired on former Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler over the summer, and they tried again at last week’s trade deadline, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com details. The Rams ultimately acquired Fowler in exchange for a 2019 third-rounder and 2020 fifth-rounder, and while the Jets submitted a similar offer about a half hour before the 4pm deadline on October 30, they also wanted a fourth-rounder to come back to them. As such, Jacksonville pulled the trigger on the Rams’ offer.
- Interestingly, before dealing him to the Saints in August, the Jets offered quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to the Jaguars in a one-for-one swap for Fowler, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Jacksonville rebuffed that proposal, even though it knew that Fowler was probably on the way out, and given their QB struggles, that decision may have made a major difference in the Jags’ season.
Jaguars “Poked Around” For QB Before Trade Deadline
The Jaguars ultimately made only one deal — shipping edge rusher Dante Fowler to the Rams — before the NFL’s trade deadline on Tuesday, but they may have been considering other scenarios, as well. Per Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, Jacksonville “poked around” the quarterback trade market but didn’t find an acceptable swap.
No signal-callers were traded prior to the deadline, and it’s not clear that any were truly available. Eli Manning had been linked to the Jaguars given Tom Coughlin‘s presence in Jacksonville, but earlier reports indicated the Jags were not interested in Manning, who theoretically could have blocked any deal with his no-trade clause. Other quarterbacks who may have been had include Tyrod Taylor, Sam Bradford, or Teddy Bridgewater.
The Jaguars already benched starting quarterback Blake Bortles earlier this year, inserting backup Cody Kessler in a Week 7 loss to the Texans. Bortles, whom Jacksonville extended earlier this year, ranks as a bottom-five quarterback in terms of passer rating, and three of the four signal-callers below him are rookies.
In the end, the Jaguars may have decided that the price of acquiring another quarterback simply wasn’t worth it, especially given the club’s record and postseason chances. Jacksonville is now 3-5 and sits in third place in the AFC South, while FiveThirtyEight.com gives the team just a 13% chance of earning a playoff berth.
Why The Jaguars Traded Dante Fowler
- Both the Jaguars and the Rams believed that moving Dante Fowler out of his home state of Florida would be beneficial to the young pass rusher, as Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com writes. Fowler, who was traded to Los Angeles on Tuesday, played collegiately at the University of Florida, and there’s a feeling that relocating — be it to California or anywhere that is not Florida — will be a positive. Additionally, Jacksonville has several looming defensive extensions on the horizon, including deals for stars Jalen Ramsey and Yannick Ngakoue, so keeping Fowler around wasn’t a must. Plus, as Breer details, Fowler wasn’t exactly a key cog on the Jaguars’ defense, as he’d played on only 32% of the club’s defensive snaps to this point.
Jaguars Sign QB Landry Jones
The Jaguars have agreed to sign quarterback Landry Jones, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Jones previously served as a backup to Ben Roethlisberger before he was released by the Steelers on Sept. 1. 
Jones, 29, backed up Roethlisberger for the past three seasons, playing in Pittsburgh for five total, but couldn’t beat out Joshua Dobbs for the veteran-reserve spot in Pittsburgh alongside Mason Rudolph. Roethlisberger’s issues with short-term injuries and the Steelers’ preference to rest him the past two Week 17s forced Jones to make five starts in Pittsburgh. Completing 63 percent of his passes, Jones went 3-2 and has thrown for 1,310 yards, eight touchdown passes, and seven interceptions.
Among the quarterbacks who have thrown at least 160 passes since 2013, Jones ranks 35th in passer rating and 26th in adjusted net yards per attempt, but it’s difficult to assign much relevance to those numbers given his small sample size. With that 160-pass cutoff in place, Jones ranks second-to-last in attempts since his rookie campaign, just ahead of Bills QB Derek Anderson.
The Jaguars have concerns about the health of Blake Bortles, so Jones will provide the team with extra insurance. After their bye, the Jags face the Colts on Nov. 11, followed by Jones’ old team on Nov. 18.